Children&#39;s play area sunshade canopy

ABSTRACT

A demountable wind-resistant sunshade canopy for shading children&#39;s play areas or other actively used areas. The canopy device is removably secured over a support structure, and is comprised of a hip beams supported by columns mounted on the support structure, and the hip beams extend upwardly and inwardly toward an apex or ridge beam. Cantilevered ends of the hip beam extend beyond the support structure, providing shade for equipment, such as children&#39;s play equipment or other actively used areas.

RELATED U.S. APPLICATION DATA

This application is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 10/429,403 filed on May 06, 2003 and a Continuation of application Ser. No. 10/679,469, filed on Oct. 07, 2003, which is a Continuation In Part of application Ser. No. 09/960,483 filed on Sep. 24, 2001, now Pat. No. 6,651,685, each of the descriptions and drawings of application Ser. Nos.: 10/429,403 and 10/679,469 being incorporated by reference herein.

Background of the Invention

This invention at hand relates generally to a demountable sunshade canopy structure and in particular to sunshade canopies for ultraviolet UV sun ray protection of children's play areas.

It is increasingly acknowledged that physically challenging outdoor play structures are of a benefit to the physical and emotional development of young children. A code of safety specifications for the construction and maintenance of children's play structures has been developed by National Play and Playground Authorities, published (1996) by the National Recreation and Park Association of Arlington Va. These construction specifications describe construction features for support of children's slides, swings, climbing apparatus, etc. which minimize risk of injury to children engaged in all manner of predictable use or misuse of the play structures.

The specification requires that the play structures be mounted on a platform or on towers elevated up to six feet above a resilient (non-hardened) surface such as cork or rubber panels and the towers or the platform be supported by a very limited number of support columns. The columns are to be capped at the top without exterior fittings on which a child may be injured while climbing upon or falling from the platform or tower. The support columns are capped at the top to discourage a child from climbing or holding on while suspended from the column top. The vertical support columns have been in the past a source of injuries to children engaged in unintended use of these structures. Accordingly, the minimum of vertical columns, all free of hand-or foot holds, has become a specification for an acceptable and safe design.

Separate from the safe construction design referred to above which have and are significantly reduce playground injuries, there is a growing threat to children's health when they are engaged in outdoor play and or exercise in the sun shine.

There are numerous publications that exhibit various canopies over play areas and covers over other areas as follows:

U.S. Pat. No. 589,563 to Jensen shows a canopy to act as a tent. It is so designed that it is collapsible and has movable joints and brackets for the purpose.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,878,758 to Clayton shows a cover a mery-go-around having cover extensions that extend past the perimeter of the platform. The merry-go-around as propelled by children that are standing on the platform and hanging on to hand rails. There are no play ground devices located on the platform.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,900,274 to Brockie illustrates a collapsible play pen having vertical support columns including brackets that support hip beams. There are no cantilevered beams to extend outwardly from the brackets supporting the hip beams.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,015,321 to Shelton discloses canopy including a frame. The frame has brackets that support the frame on vertical columns including beams that extend in a horizontal direction. Hip beams are deployed by operating a central hand crank screw drive. The hip beams do not extend from the brackets on the vertical supports.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,992 to Gremont shows a canopy structure that employs rigid bracket to support hip beams but no cantilevered beams are disclosed.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,525 to Briggs discloses an elevated platform having a canopy placed there over but children's play devices are placed at a remote location.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,106 to McBride illustrates an elevated platform with children's play devices attached to the platform but there is no teaching that play devices may be placed on and in contact with elevated platform.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,060 describes a dome tent pole connector wherein the bracket my collapsibly support dome shaped hip beams.

The earth's protective atmosphere ozone layer has significantly been depleted due to release of chemical pollutants into the atmosphere during the last five decades. The result of the ozone depletion is that the solar ultraviolet UV rays are significantly more intense and comprise a serious health risk to children when playing in the now unfiltered UV sun radiation. In 1930 the risk of developing melanoma form sun exposure was 1 in 1500. Today, a person's risk of developing skin cancer at some time during their life is 1 in 75. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States each year with more than one million cases diagnosed each year. Currently, this year, 47,700 Americans will be diagnosed with life threatening melanoma and 7,700 will die of this disease. The current prognosis for this disease is that approximately one out of five children in the United States will experience some form of skin cancer during their lifetime. Furthermore, exposure to the current intensity of solar UV radiation reduces the effectiveness of the immune system. This effect is of special importance to children's health.

Sources of the above statistics can be found in publications of the American Academy of dermatology, American Cancer Society, National Institutes Health, US Center for disease Control and the Australian Cancer Society.

The copending application Ser. No. 09/960,483 goes into detail how to construct a shaded canopy over a children's playground or exercise area which is incorporated herein by reference. Of particular interest are the connections of the cantilevered beams and the angled hip beams that are made to conform to the vertical support columns. These connections are simplified by constructing certain fittings that will greatly simplify those connections in a standard and more precise way and at a much lower cost.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A demountable wind resistant sun shade canopy suitable for mounting on a limited number of vertical columns, erected for the purpose of, or suitable for mounting on extensions of a limited number of standard safe play area support columns. The canopy support structure includes a plurality of uniquely shaped bracket fittings. The bracket fittings are of a unitary and rigid construction. The bracket fittings are more aptly described as a transverse rod connectors. The brackets, when each is fixedly mounted, provides at each column a mount for a cantilever beam extending outwardly toward the perimeter of the area to be shaded, and simultaneously provides for the mounting of a hip beam extending upwardly and extending toward the inner portion of the area to be shaded. Thus, an extended-area to be shaded includes a rigid support structure which is provided over a designated area which may be dependently shaded from the sun's rays when a high density knitted polyethylene porous canopy cover is placed over the unique bracket fitting supporting a plurality of cantilever and hip beams support members and secured about the perimeter of the canopy cover with an adjustable tension means. The hip beams may be combined by way of an apex fitting which is instrumental in forming an apex of at least four hip beams. One of the beams connected into the apex fitting may be a horizontal tube that extends toward another apex so that two distant apexes can be connected to each other to form a larger canopy to form a cover over a rectangular play area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an existing safe play structure without a sun protective canopy, the play structure is shown mounted above a resilient ground cover;

FIG. 2 is cross-section through of the upper portion of the support of the prior art device of FIG. 1 taken along the plane 2-2;

FIG. 3 is a plane view of a specified single tower children's play area on which the innovative sun shade canopy has been erected, the play exercise devices are shown in phantom lines. From this illustration it can be seen that the perimeter of the shaded area extends beyond the basic area of the play area perimeter;

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevational view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 with portions of the play structures and canopy support members shown phantom;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a construction bracket or fitting for mounting cantilever and hip beam members to form a support structure for mounting the canopy cover;

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of the bracket or fitting shown in FIG. 5 taken along the plane 6-6;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the connector or fitting for a four hip beam canopy support construction shown in the embodiments of the sun shade canopy illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the hip beam connector fitting of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 shows a detail of the means for fastening the cover to the support structure with adjustable tension means;

FIG. 10 shows an elevation of an extended end of the cantilever member showing means for securing the canopy cover;

FIG. 11 is an elevational view of a second embodiment of the sun shade canopy structure mounted to cover a two tower specified safe children's play area;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 11 with the children's play area devices in phantom.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a connector fitting using connector plates to establish certain angles between the vertical support column and the hip beam member.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the connector plates of FIG. 13 connected together;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of two apex fittings being connected by a root ridge beam.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art safe design of a children's play structure wherein a plurality of fixedly mounted vertical support columns 12 a, 12 b, 12 c and 12 d are shown. The columns 12 a and 12 b, etc. are mounted in foundations (not shown) beneath a resilient ground cover 14. The ground cover may be made of rubber or cork or matted materials to soften an impact and reduce injuries to a child fallen thereon. The columns support a platform 16 from which a slide 18, a closed chute 20 and other children's climbing devices may be positioned.

The upper ends of the conventionally designed vertical columns 12 a, 12 b, 12 c and 12 d are shown in FIG. 2 in a cross-sectional plane 2-2. A column cap 22 fits over the top of column 12 d. The cap 22 is shaped with a reduced diameter lower section 24 which, when inserted into the hollow opening 26 of the vertical column comprises a secure mount for the column cap 22. Although such conventionally designed columns are fully compatible with the invention, in order to avoid the possibility of rainwater leaking into the seam between the lower portion 24 and the column 12 d, it is preferable to have the column designed as depicted in FIG. 6 where the upper end of the column 12 a and 12 b etc. has a smaller diameter than bracket 52 so that rainwater will flow over the juncture between the two tubes without entering the seam.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are illustrative of safe children's play structures in compliance with the safety specifications developed by the National Play and Playground Authorities. At this date there are tens of thousands of such play structures erected and being erected in the United States without any provisions for effective sun shades for children using such structures.

A plan view of a first embodiment of this invention is shown in FIG. 3 wherein a canopy 30 is shown as being supported over structural members described below in subsequent FIGS. which in turn are mounted above a children's exercise and play area with play devices shown in phantom lines below the canopy 30.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional elevation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 in a plane 4-4. Vertical columns 34 and 36 are fixedly mounted, respectively, in concrete foundation footings 40 and 42. The vertical columns 34 and 36 constituting a plurality of first upright members support a platform or deck 44 at ends 44 a and 44 b fastened to the columns 34 and 36. The columns 34 and 36 terminate at approximately four feet above the platform or deck 44 the play devices 32 and 32 a are either located on the surface and in contact with the platform or are dependent therefrom but are always within the perimeter of the shade canopy itself. The caps 22 such as shown in FIG. 2 have been removed from the upper ends of the columns 34 and 36 to expose the tops 48 and 50, respectively. A plurality of second upright members 60 and 62 are attached to the tops 48 and 50 of columns 34 and 36. At top ends of the second upright members there are provided transitional fittings 55 and 57 which are inserted into the tops of the second upright members. A detailed description will appear below with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14. The letter A illustrates a drop line from the outer perimeter of the canopy to the ground, while the letter B illustrates the distance between the outer or second perimeter of the canopy and the first perimeter of the play area.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are illustrative of the structural bracket fittings 55 and 57. More specifically, FIG. 5 depicts the bracket fitting 55 in a perspective cut-away and fragmentary view, while FIG. 6 is a view of the structural or transitional bracket 55 shown as a cross-section on plane 6-6.

In preferred embodiments, the lower portion 56 of the structural bracket fitting 55 fits over the reduced diameter upper end 52 of the upper column portion 60. In rainy weather, water will flow over the juncture of lower portion 56 and upper end 52 and will not enter the seam between the two elements where it might cause damage. The upper end of each the bracket fittings 55 and 57 is terminated with a transverse, angularly placed, cylindrical rod 64. The rod 64 is mounted at an acute angle with the vertical cylindrical extension or transitional fitting 55. The angle with the horizontal is normally 22 degrees but is subject to adjustments for specific applications. The rod 64 is part of the transverse rod connector. The rod 64 is transverse to the bracket fittings 55 and is a connector for the cantilever beams 80 and the hip beams 82 and the hip beams 72 and 74 (FIG. 4).

FIGS. 5 and 6 further show the mounting of the cylindrical rod 64 on a plate 83 which in turn is mounted at an angle from the horizontal to bracket fitting 55. The cylindrical rod 64 has an upper or first end 68 and a lower or second end 70. The hip beam 72 comprises a straight section of a hollow metal steel pipe or rod. The hip beam 72 is positioned over the upper or first end of 68 of the angularly mounted cylindrical rod 64 and is secured with threaded bolts 76 passing through the hip beam 72 and the cylindrical rod 64.

The lower or second 70 end of the solid metal rod 64 is mounted by insertion into the upper end of the cantilevered beam 80 and is secured therein by threaded means 81. The cantilevered beam member 80 is comprised of a straight section of a hollow steel pipe or tube. The lower end of the cantilever beam is terminated with an oblong eyelet connector 84. As is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the four hip beams 72 and 74 and the counter parts 72 a and 74 a terminate in juxtaposition and are secured to each other by way of the right angle joint 86 to thereby form an apex fitting which is shown in FIG. 8.

Referring now back to FIG. 3, a porous knitted polyethylene canopy cover 30 is placed over the structure comprised of the hip beams 72, 72 a, 74 and 74 a and cantilever beams members 80, 80 a, 82 and 82 a. The canopy details are more clearly shown in FIG. 9. The canopy cover 30 is secured about its perimeter with a tension cable 90 which in turn is secured within a cable channel 92 sewn about the canopy perimeter 94. The tension on the cable is adjusted and maintained with a turn buckle 96. The canopy cover 30 is provided at its four corners with a reinforced opening 98 through which the oblong connector 84 located on the extreme end of the cantilevered beam 80 and its counterpart cantilever beam members 80 and its counterpart 82, etc., protrudes.

A second embodiment of this invention is illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12 wherein a two tower' safe design children's play area is shown. The play and exercise devices are shown in phantom lines. A porous shade canopy cover 104 is fabricated from knitted polyethylene strips and is constructed similarly to the single tower canopy 30. The two tower canopy cover 104 is sewn so that it provides a cable channel 106. A tension cable 108 is threaded through the channel 106 and when positioned over the metal support structure of hip beams 110 a, 110 b, 110 c, etc., forms a sunshade canopy. A turn buckle tension means 116 is attached to the ends of cable 108 to provide adjustments and to maintain cable tension.

The canopy cover 104 is provided at each corner with a reinforced opening 98 as is shown in FIG. 9 through which the oblong eyelet connector 84 on the cantilever beam member extends.

FIG. 13 illustrates a bracket fitting 100 to be used in erecting the structure that will support the sunshade canopy. This fitting is pre-assembled and will always include the correct angle of the slanted roof structure. The explanation will apply to one column only but it is applicable to all columns when the canopy structure is assembled. To this end, the fitting includes a lower insert pipe 115 which is of a reduced diameter when compared to the upstanding vertical columns 34, 36 (FIG. 4). Therefore, when installing structure for the canopy 30 or 104, the fitting is merely slipped into the opening of vertical columns 34 and 36 with its lower insert pipe 55 and 57 (FIG. 4). With other words, it is an interfitting concept. The lower insert pipe 55 or 56 has a limiting ring 116 which limits the extent of the insert pipes 55 or 57 into either of the vertical columns 34 or 56. Since the slant of the roof of the canopy is predetermined, a connector plate 119 is attached to the top of the insert pipe 55 by way of a welding 117. The predetermined angle is shown at 118. Since all the angles and distances are predetermined in the bracket fitting 100 includes a counter plate 120 which is welded to a saddle pipe 122 at 121. The saddle pipe 122 has an outer diameter that matches the outer diameter of the cantilever pipes 80 and 82 (FIG. 4) and the outer diameter of hip beams 72 and 74 (FIG. 4).

With other words, there is a smooth transition between the saddle pipe and the cantilever pipes or beams when connected to each other. Therefore, the cantilever beam and the hip beam have a diameter reduced at the point of insertion into the saddle pipe. Once the connector plate 119 and the counter plate 120 are aligned with each other, the bolts 123 are passed through both of the plates 119 and 120 which will connect the two plates 119 and 120 by way of the bolts and the nuts 124 and the lock washers 125.

FIG. 14 shows the assembled bracket or fitting 100 in combination with the upstanding vertical columns 60 and 62 (FIG. 4) or 34 and the saddle pipe 122. The reference character 110 a indicates a reduced diameter of the cantilevered pipe 110. This way the cantilevered pipe or beam 110 can easily slip into the pipe of the saddle pipe 122.

FIG. 15 shows a construction wherein at least two apexes 140 are combined with each other. In this construction there are at least two hip beams 141 and 142, being the equivalents of hip beams 72 and 74 of FIG. 4, are connected to each other including one horizontal beam or tube 143 that will receive a horizontal connector beam or tube 144 so that the distant apexes 140 can be pre-constructed and can be delivered to the construction site for assembly. 

1. A canopy shade device for an overhead shelter for children using play equipment having a deck with an outer perimeter and play components extending outwardly from the outer perimeter of the deck, said canopy shade device comprising: a plurality of first columns; a plurality of second columns; a plurality of transition fittings coupling each of said plurality of first columns to a respective one of said plurality of second columns; a plurality of beams, each of said plurality of beams having a cantilevered end and an opposite end opposite of said cantilevered end, wherein each of said plurality of beams is coupled to at least one other of said plurality of beams at said opposite end and to one of said plurality of second columns at a position between the cantilevered end and the opposite end, such that said cantilevered end extends outwardly beyond the outer perimeter of the deck.
 2. The shade canopy device of claim 1 wherein said opposite end is coupled to each of the other said opposite ends of said plurality of beams by an apex fitting.
 3. The shade canopy device of claim 2, wherein said plurality of beams is four and said apex fitting has four extensions coupling with a respective one of said opposite ends of each of the plurality of beams.
 4. The shade canopy device of claim 3, further comprising a fabric canopy, a cable and a tensioner, the fabric canopy having a shape selected to fit over said plurality of beams, wherein said fabric canopy is supported by said plurality of beams and is attached to said cable, said cable being attached to said tensioner such that said cable removably fixes the fabric canopy on the plurality of beams.
 5. The shade canopy device of claim 4, further comprising retainers extending from each of said cantilevered ends of said plurality of beams such that said retainers retain said cables on said cantilevered ends.
 6. The shade canopy device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of beams includes at least a first pair of beams, coupled at their respective opposite ends and attached to one of said plurality of second columns, and a second pair of beams coupled at their respective opposite ends, and a ridge beam having a first end coupled to the first pair of beams at their respective opposite ends and a second end coupled to the second pair of beams at their respective opposite ends and at a distance from the opposite ends of the first pair of beams.
 7. The shade canopy device of claim 6, further comprising a fabric canopy, a cable and tensioner, wherein the fabric canopy has a shape selected to fit over and to be supported by said plurality of beams and said ridge beam, said cable being attached to said tensioner such that said cable removably fixes the fabric canopy on said plurality of beams and said ridge beam.
 8. The shade canopy device of claim 6, wherein the ridge beam has a length selected to bridge from the deck to another structure coupling and supporting the second pair of beams.
 9. A children's play structure comprising: a plurality of support columns; a platform coupled to and supported by said plurality of said support columns, said platforms having a surface and defining an outer edge; a plurality of children's play devices located on said surface and in contact with said platform, said platform and said plurality of play devices cooperating to define a play area, and a sunshine shade canopy supported by said plurality of said columns, said sunshade canopy extending beyond said outer edge to shade said play area and covering said platform.
 10. The children's play structure of claim 9, wherein said sunshade canopy further comprises: a plurality of beams for supporting said canopy, a plurality of transverse rod connectors for mounting said plurality of beams to said plurality of support columns, respectively.
 11. The children's play structure as recited in claim 10, wherein said plurality of beams are secured to said plurality of transverse rod connectors such that the plurality of beams create an angle relative to said plurality to support columns and relative to a horizontal plane.
 12. The children's play structure as recited in claim 10, wherein said plurality of beams comprise a plurality of cantilever beams coupled to said plurality of said transverse rod connectors, respectively, and extending generally downwardly there from.
 13. The children's play structure as recited in claim 10, wherein said plurality of beams comprise a first plurality of beams including ends that converge at a first position and a second plurality of beams including ends that converge at a first position and a second plurality of beams including ends that converge at a second position, said plurality of beams further including a ridge beam extending between said first and second positions.
 14. A sunshade canopy system for mounting over and onto a children's play structure comprising a plurality of support columns, a platform having a surface coupled to and supported by said plurality of support columns, said platform defining an outer edge, a plurality of children's play devices located on said surface and in contact therewith and extending generally away from said outer edge and cooperating with said platform to define a play area, said sunshine shade canopy system comprising: a plurality of transverse rod connectors coupled to a top of a said plurality support columns, respectively; a plurality of beams coupled to said plurality of transverse rod connectors; and a canopy mounted on said plurality of beams to provide shade to said play area, wherein said canopy has a first perimeter extends beyond said second perimeter to increase the shading area above and beyond second perimeter.
 15. The children's play structure as recited in claim 14, wherein said plurality of transverse rod connectors are permanently secured to said plurality of beams.
 16. The children's play structure of claim 14, wherein each of said plurality of transverse rod connectors includes a vertical member for mounting on one of said plurality of said vertical support columns including an angled member to be secured to said plurality of beams.
 17. The children's play structure as recited in claim 14, wherein each of said plurality of transverse rod connectors comprises a vertical member for mounting on one of said plurality of vertical support columns and an angled member having at least two ends for coupling the plurality of said beams together such that said plurality of beams are situated at an angle relative to said plurality of said vertical support columns when said plurality of said transverse rod connectors are mounted on said vertical support columns and said plurality of beams are connected thereto.
 18. The children's play structure of claim 17, wherein said angled member comprises said transverse rod of said transverse rod connector.
 19. The children's play structure of claim 18, wherein said transverse rod has ends that are tubular and dimensioned to mate with and join at least two of said plurality of beams together.
 20. The children's play structure of claim 14, wherein each of said plurality of beams includes at least one cantilever beam and at least one hip beam; at least one of said plurality of transverse rod connectors comprising a coupling for securing an end of said at least one hip beam, said at least one of said plurality of said transverse rod connectors causing said at least one hip beam and said at least one cantilever beam to combine at an angle relative to a vertical column.
 21. The children's play structure of claim 17, wherein said angle is 22 degrees.
 22. A sunshade canopy system for mounting onto a children's play structure comprising a plurality of support columns, a platform coupled to and supported by said plurality of support columns, said platform having a surface and defining an outer edge, a plurality of children's play devices located on said surface and in contact with said platform and extending generally away from the outer edge and cooperating with said platform to define a play area, said sunshade canopy system comprising: a plurality of beams coupled to said plurality of transverse rod connectors and a canopy mounted on said plurality of beams to provide shade to said play area.
 23. The sunshade canopy system of claim 22, wherein, when said plurality of beams are detachably secured to said plurality of transverse rod connectors, said plurality of beams create an angle relative to said plurality of said vertical support columns.
 24. The sunshade canopy system of claim 22, wherein said plurality of beams includes a plurality of cantilever beams coupled to said plurality of transverse rod connectors, respectively, and extending generally downward there from and further including a plurality of hip beams coupled to said plurality of said transverse rod connectors, respectively, and extending generally upward there from.
 25. The sunshade canopy of system of claim 23, wherein said plurality of beams includes a first plurality of beams having ends that converge to a first joint at a first position and a second plurality of beams having ends that converge at a second joint at a second position, said plurality of beams further include a ridge beam extending between said first position and second position.
 26. The sunshade canopy system of clam 22, wherein said plurality of transverse rod connectors are permanently secured to said plurality of beams.
 27. The sunshade canopy system of claim 22, wherein each of said transverse rod connectors comprises a downwardly extending vertical member for mounting on one of said plurality of vertical support columns and an angled member having at least two ends for coupling a plurality of beams together such that each of said angled members is situated at a relative angle between said plurality of vertical support columns and a horizontal plane when each of said downwardly extending vertical members is mounted on said plurality of vertical columns and said plurality of beams are secured thereto.
 28. The sunshade canopy system of claim 27, wherein each of said angled members of said transverse rod connectors receives beam of said plurality of beams at each of the at least two ends.
 29. The sunshade canopy system of clam 28, wherein said at least two ends is a first end and a second end and each of the first end and the second end are tubular and dimensioned to mate with and join two of said plurality of beams together.
 30. The sunshade canopy system of claim 22, wherein said plurality of beams includes a cantilever beam and a hip beam; at least one of said plurality of transverse rod connectors comprising a coupling for securing an end of said cantilever beam to an end of said hip beam, wherein said cantilever beam is substantially coaxial with said hip beam and angled at an angle between an axial direction of said vertical columns and a horizontal plane. 